all we need is each other
by DFTBAPleaseandThankyou
Summary: Marinette discovers something about Adrien that doesn't quite make sense, so when Chat Noir goes to visit her after a particularly bad day, she begins to connect the dots.


Marinette held a hand to her temple, frustrated after struggling to find a conclusion from the previous events of the day.

"It just doesn't make sense, Tikki!"

Her small friend looked up at her wearily, indecision written clear as day across her features.

"Why would Adrien have scars from doing _parkour?_"

Marinette began pacing the small quarters of her room once again.

"_Hell!_ I'm Ladybug! I take hits every day, and I have what... three?!"

"Maybe he really _is _just bad at it," Tikki offered.

Marinette shot her a doubtful look, "Really? Adrien, the spitting image of perfection, bad at parkour?"

Tikki shrugged, "It's not impossible Marinette."

Marinette threw her hands up in frustration.

"No, that can't be it!"

She groaned, flopping back onto her chaise.

Tikki flew down to her chosen and smiled at her fretful expression.

"You don't have to know the answer to everything, Marinette, maybe this is one of those times," Tikki said softly,

Marinette sat up abruptly, eyes narrowing down at her kwami.

"Why are you trying to divert me from this? Isn't it the least bit concerning to you?"

Tikki looked away from her, which struck Marinette as odd; why was she struggling to respond to her nervous questioning today? Usually Tikki was fast and intelligent, yet today she seemed... off?

"I think you worry too much Marinette, _you_ have scars after all!"

Marinette thought over that for a second; that was right... she did have scars too. But it still didn't make any sense for Adrien to have them too unless he was-

_Thud._

The sound of heavy boots landing on her balcony echoed through Marinette's small room. Whatever she had been thinking about sat on the tip of her tongue she clawed desperately at it for a moment, trying to remember just what it was, before giving up and going to unlock the latch leading down into her room.

She peeked her head out into the cool breeze of the night and quickly spotted Chat Noir, who blended in well with the night sky, leaning against the railing.

"Hello, Chat Noir!" she said warmly, glad for a distraction from her worries.

"Hello, my favourite baker!"

Marinette's lips pulled up at his joyous expression, glad he was seemingly over what had upset him before. She had meant to ask him at patrol, but he had wanted to get it over with quickly and had managed to divert every single question she sent his way.

As another vicious wind sent several things on her balcony flying, she eyed Chat Noir, noticing the small tremble in his hands that he failed to hide.

"Want to come in for a bit?"

He nodded at her gratefully, quickly slinking down past her and into the warmth of her room.

She allowed a quiet laugh to escape past her lips as she saw his relieved expression.

"A bit cold out today?" she snorted

He dropped dramatically onto her chaise, sending her a cold look.

"Not at all," he replied, voice dripping with sarcasm. "I just wanted to come in because of the smoldering heat!" he added on, sending an eye roll her way.

Marinette laughed, and they sat in comfortable silence for a moment before Marinette's impatience was able to get the better of her. She was still desperate to discover what had bothered him so much.

"So..." she began

"Yeah?" He sat up and quirked an eyebrow in question.

"Why are you _really_ here again Chat Noir?"

His eyes darted away from her for a moment and he rubbed the back of his neck; a nervous habit she was all too familiar with after seeing Adrien do it many times.

Suddenly a wave of recognition hit her hard enough to force her to sit straight up.

"I had a bit of a bad day and my home isn't exactly the most," his mouth twisted into one of thought, "comforting."

She scooted further forward in her chair, eager to learn more, and his eyes darted to hers quickly as she stared at him curiously.

"Is that so?" she asked, knowing this line of questioning was dangerous. If her suspicions were correct, this was not something she was supposed to know.

"It is," he replied firmly.

Interesting, so Chat Noir did not like spending time at home either... but was it really possible? Surely not! Surely Chat freaking Noir wasn't...

"And what made your day so bad?" she continued instead.

He looked at her with a slight confusion, lips pulled down.

"Well, I wouldn't say 'bad'; it's just hard to explain why- and then they just assumed!" he cut himself off quickly, panicked eyes jumping back to her inquisitive gaze.

He groaned loudly, "I really shouldn't have said that."

_Assumed? _

Like when Nino and Alya had assumed he was in a bad state before! And- _oh god! _He had looked to her! He had wanted her help! And some help she had been, she had practically thrown him under the bus!

Suddenly all the pieces of the puzzle seemed to click in her brain, she imagined Adrien saying the familiar words 'pound it' after defeating an akuma.

Imagined Chat Noir's ridiculous cat ears perched on the head of the boy who sat in front of her.

That it was Adrien who sat atop the Eiffel tower and rubbed her back while she cried.

Chat Noir who complimented her designs in the schoolyard after hearing she was nervous.

Her heart began to flood with adoration and somehow it seemed like there was nothing she could do to stop it.

"Uhh Marinette?" He laughed at her for a moment. "You still with me?"

She looked up at him and, when her burning sapphires met the beautiful emeralds she remembered so well, she knew it was him for sure.

"Adrien?"

He took a sharp intake of breath,

"How did you..." he trailed off, staring at her disbelievingly before his eyes widened, and he seemed to realise something. "Or did I-"

He brought his hands up and ran them through his hair nervously, "How could I let this happen?!"

Her brow creased in confusion.

"Chat Noi- Adrien calm down!"

He stood up abruptly and began to move slowly towards the hatch that led to her balcony.

She grabbed his wrist, desperate to stop him from running away again. Adrien turned to face her, shaking his arm from her grip.

"What?!" She exclaimed; she had certainly not pictured it going like this!

"No one can know, Marinette!"

She spluttered for something to say for a second, because- hell! He was talking to the girl he had begged to share his identity with for months now. But it wasn't like she could say that... right?

"You can't tell anyone!" He began quickly, "Please Marinette!"

She shook her head, this was all going wrong!

"Adrien just please look at me!" she cried

"What do you mean? I am looking at you!"

"I mean really _look_ at me."

And he did, his eyes searched over her one up and then once down.

She clenched her eyes shut, terrified of his reaction.

"Its... you?"

She didn't dare open her eyes, shame beginning to fill her lungs. Her heart faltered because, was that disappointment in his voice? She had agonized night after night over this exact moment, thinking of Chat's reaction and while she had considered him being disappointed with her, she had never actually thought he would express that.

Suddenly the wind was knocked from her, warm arms surrounded her and a loud bark of happiness filled the room.

"It's you!" He repeated more sure of himself this time.

She cracked an eye open, still weary, only to meet his gleeful expression.

"Marinette it's okay!"

Her shoulders sagged and she allowed herself to become enveloped in his familiar scent of vanilla and oranges.

"I should be telling you that," she finally giggled "You were freaking out!"

"I thought Ladybug- _you_, were going to skin me alive!"

She laughed, lips pulled up into a wide grin.

The room went quiet then, both staring into the others eyes.

"You know this might be a bad time but I really, _really_ want to kiss you right- _mmph!" _Adrien began but was soon interrupted by Marinette, connecting her mouth to his.

What ensued next was fumbling, the occasional clack of teeth or bump of the nose. But it was absolute bliss and she never wanted it to end. Every fiber of her body felt like it was inflamed, goosebumps littering themselves down her body.

She lost track of how long they had been there but when she was forced to pull away, releasing her grip on his hair, she heard an audible whine escape her throat.

He laughed at her, and she found herself joining in. They both took a few deep breathes, he opened his mouth to say something, undoubtedly some remark about "being that good", but she cut him off with another kiss before he could.

This time, when the kiss ended, they settled for contently resting their foreheads against each others.

"I love you." She mumbled

Adrien's eyes flew open and for a moment she was scared she had said something wrong, she opened her mouth to apologise-take it back, anything! So she was startled when his lips pulled up into a wide Cheshire grin.

"What?" She asked incredulously

"_Youu likeeee meee,_" He began, laughing to himself.

"W-well..." She spluttered, struggling to find something else to say. But she needn't have worried because he placed another kiss on her forehead, this one soft and patient. It burned into her skin, sending her heart skyrocketing.

"I love you too." He said instead, and that was all she needed.


End file.
